‘It blew my mind that four lives were taken’

A two-vehicle crash on Sunday night claimed the lives of four teenage friends in the Interlake, prompting grief in several communities and calls for safety improvements at the intersection, which had already seen a fatality in July. Veronique Vermette, whose 18-year-old daughter Chloe died in the collision, expressed her shock upon arriving at the scene, stating, "It blew my mind that four lives were taken."

Chloe, a bubbly and loving personality, was driving the Pontiac Sunfire when it rolled over after the impact. The crash occurred when a westbound car crossed Highway 8 and was struck by a southbound van. All four passengers in the car, including a Gimli man, a Sandy Hook woman, and a 17-year-old boy from Ear Falls, Ont., lost their lives at the scene.

The other two passengers in the van, a 49-year-old male driver and a woman, sustained minor injuries and were taken to Winnipeg for treatment. An RCMP collision reconstructionist and officers from the Gimli detachment are investigating the incident, which could take some time to complete. Supt. Chris Hastie, commander of Manitoba RCMP's east district, emphasized the sensitivity towards the families' loss and the need to provide answers for them to process the event.